BSI, the business standards company, has published a new European technical specification, PD CEN/TS 17091:2018 Crisis Management. It’s for good practice on how to prepare for, anticipate, respond to and recover from a crisis.
As British Standards says, the ability of an organization to manage a crisis situation depends on its preparation. As a crisis usually occurs unexpectedly and potential risks to the business loom, the readiness of an up to date crisis management plan offers protection and can limit potential damage. The new technical specification acknowledges a difference between incidents, disruptions and crises.
It highlights the definition of a crisis and the particular challenges it poses. As crises are often dynamic, unpredictable and difficult to manage, they may require dedicated resources and management.
Anne Hayes, Head of Governance and Resilience at BSI, said: “We define a crisis as any unprecedented or extraordinary situation, or event that threatens an organisation. As a crisis can threaten the reputation and even the very existence of an organisation, it is imperative to put appropriate measures in place in advance of needing to call upon them. Failure to do so might provide a very costly lesson, whereas with the proper preparation and readiness the situation can be controlled and recovered. We urge all organisations, of any size across both the public and also in the private sector, to take their preparations seriously and act to avoid disaster.”
PD CEN/TS 17091 Crisis Management is a tool for management with strategic, risk and continuity responsibility, for ensuring their organisation has plans to prepare for and react to a crisis situation. Building upon the content of its predecessors, BS 11200 and PAS 200, it is not intended for emergency and incident response. For more on PD CEN/TS 17091 Crisis Management visit the BSI website.
This guidance document will be launched on Tuesday, December 11, with audit firm Deloitte, at the Deloitte Offices, 2 New Street Square, London, EC4A 3PA.
